In This Issue:
- Metro Cities 2021 Draft Legislative Policies
- House Committee Reviews Economic Costs of Racism
- Senate Committees Review 2020 Riots Report
Metro Cities 2021 Draft Legislative Policies
Metro Cities’ Draft 2021 Legislative Policies are now online for review, click here. The draft policies were recommended by Metro Cities’ policy committees and approved by the Metro Cities Board of Directors at their October meeting.
The policies will be adopted by Metro Cities’ membership on Thursday, November 19, 2020 at 4:00 pm. Please be sure to mark your calendar and plan to attend the policy adoption meeting! This meeting will be conducted remotely. More details to follow.
Each member city has one vote, with one additional vote for each 50,000 population above the initial 50,000. The legislative policies serve as the framework for Metro Cities’ work at the Legislature and Metropolitan Council. Detailed policy adoption protocols will be emailed to member city managers and administrators.
Comments or questions on policies can be directed to [email protected] or 651-215-4000.
House Committee Reviews Economic Costs of Racism
The House Select Committee on Racial Justice met October 20 to hear from experts on the economic costs of racism.
The hearing began with a TPT-produced Jim Crow of the North documentary on the history of real estate covenants and the impacts on homeownership and wealth building. Professor Bruce Corrie from Concordia University – St. Paul presented data that highlighted racial disparities in education, housing, and business with significant revenue impacts, including a $2 billion loss to local and state tax revenues. He offered a five-point plan to address disparities that includes investments in wealth-creating assets, empowering individuals, tapping into cultural intelligence, focusing on person-centered strategies and metrics, and focusing on people of color as assets by changing perceptions.
This was the final meeting of the select committee. Co-Chair Rep. Ruth Richardson explained that information and testimony shared at the hearings will inform 2021 legislation.
Senate Committees Review 2020 Riots Report
Two Senate committees convened a joint hearing on October 22 to review recommendations in a report recently issued by the committee chairs, Review of Lawlessness and Government Responses to Minnesota’s 2020 Riots.
The report follows four hearings held by the joint committees. This week, Senate Transportation and Public Safety committee members discussed local conversations on the funding of police departments, specifically in the metropolitan region. They focused on city and state responses and the National Guard’s role in responding to the civil unrest in 2020.
Transportation Chair Sen. Scott Newman reviewed the report and its recommendations: appropriate law enforcement tools (equipment, personnel, and authority), state and local roles in riot prevention and response, roles of the National Guard, and the importance of prosecution. The report states that the Governor, local mayors, and city officials must immediately begin the process of implementing these recommendations.
An additional recommendation, made by Sen. David Senjem at the hearing, called for reinstituting the state’s Emergency Response Commission, which would include Minnesotans from across the state as well as representatives from different levels of government.
Republican members of the committees provided comments, while no DFL senators were present.